Fake News: Fighting Fake News

Browser Extensions That Flag Fake News Sites

A variety of fake news detectors and browser plugins or extensions have been created to notify you if a site you're viewing is known for producing false or misleading information. While it's important to develop your own critical thinking, information, and news literacy skills, these plugins are useful.

Caution: Plugins and extensions are only as reliable as their creators and the known list of sites from which they draw. Fake news sites pop up easily and quickly so you may find yourself on a site that the plugin/extension doesn't know about.

Written by Benedict Carey, journalist for The New York Times | Describes the findings of a recent study on the number of fake news stories viewed by participants both during and after the 2016 election.

Research on Fake News

Dr. Berinsky referenced his research published in the British Journal of Political Science in the Washington Post article. This article is available through Open Access on the Cambridge University Press site.

Research published in Political Beahavior by B. Nyhan & J. Reifler | Excerpt from abstract: An extensive literature addresses citizen ignorance, but very little research focuses on misperceptions. Can these false or unsubstantiated beliefs about politics be corrected?

Falsehoods almost always beat out the truth on Twitter, penetrating further, faster, and deeper into the social network than accurate information.
Robinson Meyer, staff writer for The Atlantic MAR 8, 2018

On The Media: Breaking News Handbook

If you have 10 minutes, listen to the ON[THE MEDIA] podcast episode (below) on "fake news" accusations.

Whataboutism

You may hear or read attempts to equivocate instances of "fake news" from both sides of the aisle. It even has a very technical name: Whataboutism. This kind of noise is harmful if you take it at face value. Remember to be critical and question these arguments. If the logic falls apart on closer inspection, seek a more credible answer.

Three part opinion video series produced by the New York Times covering Russia’s meddling in the United States’ elections.“Operation InfeKtion” reveals the ways in which one of the Soviets’ central tactics — the promulgation of lies about America — continues today, from Pizzagate to George Soros conspiracies. Meet the KGB spies who conceived this virus and the American truth squads who tried — and are still trying — to fight it. Countries from Pakistan to Brazil are now debating reality, and in Vladimir Putin’s greatest triumph, Americans are using Russia’s playbook against one another without the faintest clue.

Quote Attribution

If you have ever seen an inspirational meme or one using a quote from Abraham Lincoln, you might have taken it for granted that the person who created the meme attributed the quote to the correct person. This is often not the case. However, there are many ways to follow up on a quote if you want to use one correctly. The New York Public Library provides a few tips on how to research a quotation or you can use the links below.

Many of the internet's generated memes include quotes inaccurately attributed to famous people. Using a site like this to find the original source can help you make sense of what is real and what is not.

Beware the Filter Bubble

It's easy to find and access content that reinforces our beliefs because your information "diet" is tracked by Google, Facebook, and many other companies that tailor your results and news feeds to what you have previously liked or clicked on. Learn about the dangers of filter bubbles and how you can pop them with this TedTalk from Eli Pariser.

What do you meme?

Fake News and the spread of misinformation/disinformation/propganda is linked to memes or images containing messages that cannot be detected by computers and algorithms. The following articles discuss how memes present an additional challenge to controlling the spread of fake news.

Memes and social networks have become weaponized, while many governments seem ill-equipped to understand the new reality of information warfare. How will we fight state-sponsored disinformation and propaganda in the future?CBInsights 3 May 2018